Wheel tool



J. F. SHIELLS WHEEL TOOL March 10, 1942.

Filed April 10, 1940 Jj i | l I v ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 10, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WHEEL TOOL James F. Shiells, Fillmore, Calif. Application April 10, 1940, Serial No. 328,967 1 Claim. (Cl. 29-85) so that the latter can be conveniently and easily" removed in that one hand of the operator is free to make contact with the cap on its removal so as to avoid the dropping thereof with resultant damage thereto.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a tool of this character wherein proper leverage can be had so that the hub cap upon a wheel can be quickly, easily and without damage removed from the wheel in that the finish of the wheel will not be disturbed or will the cap be damaged in the use of the tool.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a tool of this character, which is extremely simple in its construction, portable, readily and easily adjusted, possessing few parts, easy of assembly and disassembly, strong, durable, and inexpensive to manufacture.

With these and other objects in View, the invention consists in the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described in detail, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, which discloses the preferred embodiment of the invention and pointed out in the claim hereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through a tired wheel wearing a hub cap and showing the tool constructed in accordance with the invention in applied position for the removal of said hub cap.

Figure 2 is an enlarged end elevation of the tool removed from applied position.

Figure 3 isa fragmentary top plan view.

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the tool, being on an enlarged scale. I

Similar reference characters indicate correspending parts throughout the several views in the drawing.

Referring to the drawing in detail, A designates generally a portion of an automobile tired ber l6 at the end ll thereof will pry the cap ll wheel-having the disk center ill with which is 55 latched a separable hub cap H, the latching thereof being in the conventional manner, and to remove such cap from the wheel it must be pried therefrom, an ordinary screwdriver being generally employed for this purpose. The tool constituting the present invention is denoted at .B and comprisesan elongated bar l2, preferably straight throughout its extent, having at one end a screwdriver-like tip l3.

This bar constitutes a fulcrum lever.

The other blunt end of the bar at the upper side thereof carries a fibrous piece l4, preferably made from leather, and is a protective pad or facing, being fixed by a rivet IE to said bar.

Adjustably associated with the bar I2 is a prying leg or member l6, being straight throughout the major length thereof and having a beveled prying tip H at one end while at the other end is a fork l8 loosely accommodating the bar I 2.

This fork I8 is formed throughout the major straight portion of the member Hi. The sides of the fork l8 have transversely aligned openings I9 for a pivot member 20, which is engageable in selective openings, these being spaced apart at determined intervals with respect to each other. I

The pivot member 20 is also accommodated in holes or openings 2| provided in the bar l2, these holes or openings being spaced at determined intervals with respect to each other. In this manner the bar 12 is susceptible of adjustment relative to the member l6 and similarly the member I6 is adjustable relative to the barl2, the adjustments being at substantially right angles to each other. Such adjustments accommodate the tool to different sizes of wheels and hub caps equipped therewith.

In the use of the tool, the member I6 is disposed vertically to have the beveled ends I! engage between the disk In of the wheel A and the hub cap H at the joint therebetween when the hub cap is worn by said wheel and the end of the bar l2 carrying the piece I4 is brought into fulcrum relation to the rim 22 of the said wheel A, that is, against the inner periphery of this rim,

so that when the bar I2 is pressed downwardly through manual manipulation thereof, the memfrom latched engagement with the wheel. Also a lateral swinging of the tool when engaged as before stated will serve to unlatch the hub cap II from the wheel A. a

The pivot 20 is in the form of a. headed bolt and for securing the latter for the pivotal connection of the members l2 and IS the said bolt is fitted with a cotter pin 23, being also equipped with a washer 24 next to the said cotter pin, the head and washer being at the outer faces 0! the sides of the fork ll.

What is claimed is:

A tool of the character described, comprising a lever bar having a flat fulcrum surface at one end and horizontal transverse openings adjacent thereto, a prying member having a bifurcated upper end straddling the lever bar and provided with a series of horizontal oppositely arranged openings, a pivot pin passing loosely through two or the oppositely arranged openings in the Dry ng member and one oi the openings in the lever bar. and the lower end or the prying member provided with a beveled prying tip.

JAMES F. SHIELLS. 

